Breath of Freedom
by Random Nonsense Unlimited
Summary: Jasper left Maria with no plan of where he was going or what he was going to do. Alice woke with no memories and no idea who she was. When they found each other they found the freedom they were looking for.
1. Disenchantment

**AN: As always all parts of the Twilight Saga belong to Stephenie Meyer. One day I hope that my own work is as successful**

**As far as the vampires go, Jasper and Alice have always been my favorites. I finally decided that I need to write my take on their story. I apologize if I take artistic liberties.**

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Chapter one - Disenchantment

For more years than I care to count, this has been my life. I assist Maria in turning a crop of vampires, I train them and then when they are no longer useful to her I kill them. Rarely, one would show great potential and will be allowed to live. It was that way with Peter, but since his defection with the soon-to-be-destroyed Charlotte no more were to be singled out, no more were allowed to live. Since that day Maria has taken to observing the "culling process" she sits out of the way and watches as I rip each limb from limb. The thought of her there sickens me as much as it excites her. None to few of the scars checkering my skin are the direct result of her presence. I spend almost as much energy trying to keep the newborns from taking revenge on their dearly beloved master as I spend in killing them at all.

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The thick incense of burning vampires filled the autumn air as I threw the last of the corpses on the flames. I heard Maria stir behind me. Luckily tonight I managed to avoid injury. I was merely thirsty. I was tired of the endless round of killing though my body was incapable of showing it's exhaustion.

The woman who had run my life for decades bordering on a century walked up behind me and wrapped her arms around my center bringing them up to caress my scarred chest as she stretched to whisper in my ear "Good work Jasper." She hissed, a sound that at one point I would have found desirable, sultry even. Now I hear it for what it is, the hiss of a snake. "I have a treat for you in the manor." This was different. Normally she would dismiss me and I could hunt on my own but tonight she led me by the hand to the manor and my empty guts churned in anticipation of her "treat."

When we entered the foyer I caught movement out of the corner of my eye. Two young girls awaited us. Their faces were still rounded with youth. A quick appraisal of their bodies increased my estimate of their ages. Their bodies were rounded with the beginnings of womanly curves. Still they were young. I looked at Maria questioning her with my eyes about our guests.

"Your treat." She hissed again. "The twins here stumbled upon our property this afternoon, I could not let two such delectable specimens go on their way without meeting you." She knew how thirsty I would be after destroying the newborns, the venom began to pool in my mouth at the the thought of this meal...and I hated myself for it.

I went to the first and held out my hand to her. She smiled at me as I pulled her to her feet. My thirst was too much to bear, I sank my teeth into her neck as soon as she was standing. Much to my disgust she moaned in pleasure as soon as my lips made contact with her soft young skin. I folded my tall frame around her small one as I drained her quickly, giving over to the monster within. She didn't last long, she never even knew what was happening to her. She thought my touch was something else entirely, until it was too late.

A scream echoed through the manor as I dropped the lifeless body of the girl. Her twin scrambled away from me, a look of abject horror on her face. Unlike her sister she saw me for what I was. She saw the monster rather than the man and was smart enough to run in terror. Unfortunately for her she had no speed to match mine. The venom in my veins gave me power she had never dreamed to fear. Before she had moved a step she too was enfolded in my deadly embrace. All too quickly her corpse joined her sister's and the monster in me rested, sated for now.

My eyes met Maria's. She smiled at me. "See Jasper, you take care of me and I take care of you." Her hips swayed as she walked toward me. Her tone was meant to be seductive but it seemed mocking in my ears.

At that moment the contemptuous look in her crimson eyes decided me. "Never again, Maria. Find another toy. I'm done." I walked past her to the door and kept going.

She came after me, I knew she would. She flung herself at me, wrapping her arms around my neck, her slight body hung from my shoulders. "Jasper, what are you doing? Why would you say such hurtful things to me? I need you Jasper. Haven't I given you everything you wanted?" She was pleading with me, like so many times in the past. She was a spoiled child, a spoiled woman, a spoiled vampire. In the past I would back down, I would give in. I am one of the ones who has spoiled her. No longer, I meant what I said, I was done.

I pried her arms from my neck and let her fall. She didn't try to save herself, it was part of the tantrum, she just fell to the dirt of the ground and crumpled. I kept walking, I had no desire to indulge another of her tantrums, it was time for me to leave. "Jasper!" I was already running when her cry reached me, "Jasper Whitlock! I made you! I gave you everything! How dare you leave me like this! You are nothing without me, you'll be back!" There was venom in her cry and it reaffirmed my earlier evaluation of her, yes Maria was a snake.

I wouldn't be coming back, not this time. I quickened my pace, stretching my legs to the limit of my enhanced abilities. I ran as far and as fast as I could from Maria, from the slaughter, from the monster that I carried with me. I ran north, last I had heard that is where Peter and Charlotte went when they too escaped. All I knew is that I had to get away. I needed to find a new me. I needed to start over and I had no idea how. All I had was the wind in my hair as I took my first breath of freedom.

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**AN: Hope you liked it. I appreciate all reviews.**


	2. Down the Rabbit Hole

**AN: So here's the next chapter. Sorry it took so long to get up, I had half of it written when my laptop decided to eat it so I was a bit delayed. Here's to hoping it is worth the wait.**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns the Twilight universe, I just envy her for it.**

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Chapter 2: Down the Rabbit Hole**

I was in darkness. There was nothing in my world, no sound, no light, no sense at all. It was as if the chaos had yet to become something. No, it was as if the chaos had yet to be at all. Flashes of light were the first thing I noticed and then the darkness reclaimed me before I could make sense of them.

I awoke surrounded by trees. At least, I think I awoke. I don't remember having fallen asleep. In fact, all I remember is the dark. Before that there is nothing. I looked around me, I could see so much color. A thought was all it took to bring things closer to my vision. I could see a bud just forming on the tip of a branch near me. I watched it as it grew out from the twig, lengthening, broadening, and then finally becoming a small flower. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. It was the only thing I had seen, but no less beautiful for the fact.

I don't know how long I watched the tree bloom, time had no meaning to me. There was pain in my throat though. It began to build to an unbearable force. My neck was burning from the inside out. I tried to claw at it but my actions could not lessen the fire. I began to panic, I would do anything to get rid of the searing that was disrupting my observations of this amazing new world.

_Two men were walking toward me, I leaped gracefully as a cat on the nearest one my teeth sinking into his flesh._

The image was gone as soon as it came but it triggered something in me. Instinct took over in the void of knowledge and I turned. Just coming over the hill there were two men. It was as if the image in my head moments before was being played out right before my eyes, instinct continued its hold and at that moment and I pounced. My right leg swung out catching the man on that side in the throat as I collided with the man on the left. There was no time for thought, I dug my teeth into the man's neck instantly. His blood flowed down my throat, quieting the awful burning. All to soon it was over, the emptied husk that was once a man dropped to the ground with an audible thud.

My thirst was still there, the animal in me had yet to return control of my body. A groan from my right reminded me the presence of the other man. I walked over to him as he opened his eyes. His gaze flickered from me to his dead friend and back. He took in the sight of blood on me. Blood that was obviously not my own but that of his late companion. Panic took root in his eyes as I stalked closer. I was committed though, there was no turning back. I knelt down and looked at him curiously. He had the oddest look on his face, like he knew he was going to die.

_A woman sat in the corner of an empty room crying uncontrollably..._

_A casket was being covered in earth as the same woman stood to the side with a small child in her arms. Another child clinging to her skirt, his face vacant as if he was as empty as the corpse next to me..._

_The boy was crying now, his mother was comforting him saying that they would find food somehow..._

Whilst these images flashed through my mind, my teeth closed the distance to the man's neck and I once again felt the sensation of blood flowing down my throat quelling the burning pain that was my thirst. It dawned on me that the images were that of the man's family. A family that counted on him. The visions I had seen were that of the future I was causing by drinking this man's blood. I hated myself in that moment. I wanted to stop but I couldn't, the feeding instinct was too strong.

It was not until this body too was drained that I could finally pull away. I looked at the two bodies lying on a bed of leaves and felt pure disgust at what I had done. All I knew was that I had to get away, so I ran.

Running was an entirely new feeling for me. The wind rushed by, the scenery seemed to flow past me. The pain I felt was too much though, I gained no enjoyment from my new found speed.

I don't know how long I ran, time again had no meaning. Soon though the burning was back in my throat. I wanted to ignore it but it was too strong. I climbed a nearby tree. I wanted to be far enough away from anyone who might unwittingly stray across my path. The last thing I wanted to do was to destroy another family.

I began to think that there must be something else, some other way to quench the unbearable thirst.

_I was looking in a mirror, or at least a reflective glass, it was quite old and the reflection wasn't quite clear. I studied my face and was startled by what I saw there. Staring back at me was a young woman with brilliant golden eyes, like rich honey._

I sat in the tree and thought about this latest image, it had to be connected to the fact that I had wanted another way. This must mean that there is one! Whatever it is will give me golden eyes, I'm sure of it.

That revelation calmed me and I sat back in the tree's comforting embrace still trying to think of answers.

Dusk was falling, painting the clouds a breath-taking array of purples and reds. I heard something stirring at the base of my tree. I listened quietly letting the smell of the creature drift up to me along with its sound. It was small and warm blooded, definitely not human, but the animal in me stirred in me none the less. I decided to climb down the tree to get a closer look. It was a large rabbit, fattened against the coming winter.

I dropped down behind it as silently as I could yet it still turned around and saw me. The rabbit took off running and once again I felt the animal within take control. I flew like an arrow, quickly closing the gap between myself and my prey. It surprised me by disappearing just as I caught up to it. I stopped my run and relied on my sense of smell to tell me where the slippery rascal had gone to.

Evidently it had made it to its burrow and had figured that it would be safe there. At this point I had two choices; I could try to find other prey, or I could follow the rabbit into its home.

I was Alice, my choice was clear, I was going down the rabbit hole.


	3. Loneliness

**A/N: So first I need to apologize that it has taken me so long to get this chapter up. I really haven't had much time to write as of late. I hope it was worth the wait. If it wasn't please tell me why you think so. If it was then tell me that too darlings. Reviews are like candy, just less fattening. ;)**

**Also I need to make a clarification, evidently it wasn't readily apparent in the previous chapters that this story is in two perspectives. I'm sorry I wasn't clear about that. Basically odd numbered chapters are Jasper's and even numbered ones are Alice's but I will label them from here on out.**

**Disclaimer: The Amazing Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight, I just like to make my favorites do my bidding ;)**

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Chapter 3: Loneliness - Jasper**

"We should have headed back earlier. I told you we would be out after dark, but no you just had to look for that damned hat. Now we are walking home in the dark. Why couldn't you have listened to me Jen?" The man's voice sneared from around the corner of where I was hiding.

"Honestly George, you worry too much. It's not like we live in the middle of the city. There are no criminals in our end of town. The worst danger we could meet on this road is you stubbing your toe and then filling my ears with yet another string of complaints." The woman's voice answered him tartly.

They were older, beyond their prime. There was a slowness to them even here in the cold north where most people hurried their way along quickly, either to produce heat from movement or in an attempt to avoid the cold all together. Their banter spoke of a long relationship, well aware of each others habits and long past finding them endearing.

I had run for days, only slowing when the wind changed and the air became cooler. I knew I had come far enough that Maria would not follow. Of course I doubted she even tried. Maria did not like to lose but she liked humiliation even less. Even if there had been no one to witness it I had humiliated her once already, she would not risk rejection again.

I have not fed since that night though and the thirst is becoming unbearable, it would be irresponsible for me to starve myself this way, especially as close as I am to a highly populated area. There is no telling what would happen if I am overtaken by my thirst here. The lone older couple would serve well to sate the burning in my throat. I should be able to safely walk through the streets of St. Louis after feeding, or at least the rest of the humans would be safe from me.

When they came around the bend I made my move. I grabbed the man first counting on the woman to go into shock. As I drained him I felt something collide with my back multiple times. I could hear the woman's voice demanding, "Let go of my George!" over and over again. I took no notice of her feeble and foolhardy attempt to fight me off. She had no idea what I was. She had no way to know that her attack was useless, that her husband was already dead.

I dropped George's body and turned to his wife, grabbing her arm as she made to swing at me again. "I'm sorry..." I couldn't help the words that escaped my lips as I sunk my teeth into her as well. I was truly sorry. I didn't want to feed on them. I wished there was another way but this was the best that I could come up with. I hated causing her the anguish she felt at having watched her love die. I who had never felt love almost envied her that emotion. I who was a monster took it away from her, from both of them. I sincerely hope that they believed in God and Heaven, that they would find themselves there together.

As I dropped the second drained corpse I noticed a battered object on the ground where it had fallen from limp fingers. It was a completely ruined hatbox, complete with a now tattered hat peaking out of one torn side. I laughed a bit to myself at the absurdity of it all. Jen had tried to rescue her husband with the very object that he claimed had been their reason for being out here to die in the first place.

I buried their empty bodies under a tree well away from the road, they deserved that much at least. I had laughed for the first time in decades because of the woman with the hat. I owed it to her to make sure her and her husband were properly buried.

I began to make my way through St. Louis. It was by far the largest city on the road north that held the last dying traces of Peter and Charlotte's scents. I hoped that when I emerged on the other side that I would be closer to finding them. They would help me deal with this new found freedom. When I decided to leave Maria I never counted on the lonelyness.


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